History of Belvidere, (Allegany County) New York United States of America

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Benjamin Silliman Church, engineer, was born at Belvidere, Allegany county, N.Y., April 17, 1836; son of John B. and Marie Trumbull (Silliman) Church, and great-grandson of John B. Church, a member of parliament in England, who came over with Lafayette, served with the French army, was commissary general in the Revolutionary war, and was married to Angelica, daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler, and sister of Mrs. Alexander Hamilton. The mother of Benjamin Silliman Church was the daughter of Prof. Benjamin Silliman of Yale, and granddaughter of Jonathan Trumbull ("Brother Jonathan"). Benjamin S. Church was graduated at the Chandler school of science and the arts, Dartmouth college, in 1856, and entered upon the profession of civil engineering. He was employed for a time on the New Haven railroad, then in making the original topographical survey of Central park, and later was appointed topographical engineer of the hydrographic survey of the Croton river and basin. He was afterward placed in charge of the Croton aqueduct as resident engineer. This position he held continuously until 1883 when he was appointed chief engineer designing and constructing the new aqueduct of New York city. Excepting for a short period during the civil war, when in the army as captain in the 12th New York regiment, and as topographical engineer in the army of the Potomac, he was connected with the water supply of New York until 1889. He received the degree of M.S. from Dartmouth college in 1884.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Belvidere, (Allegany County) New York

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